Brocantes & Avignon

You drive to L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, surrounded by a moat of flowing water. Renowned for its brocantes - over 300 antique dealers trading year-round - it draws collectors, designers, and food lovers. Much more than a flea market, professional dealers tastefully set out chandeliers, linens, paintings, furniture and fragments of domestic history along canal-side streets. The town dates to the 12th century, when fishermen built huts on stilts above marshland. By the 18th century, canals lined with giant water wheels powered silk factories and paper mills. Midday, you pause for lunch, then continue to Avignon, UNESCO World Heritage city and capital of the Vaucluse. Within its medieval walls, streets narrow beneath pale stone façades and open onto shaded squares. The Palais des Papes rises above the rooftops. You explore the historic center, old streets such as Rue des Teinturiers, the cathedral, and historic gardens overlooking Rhône Valley, the Vaucluse and the Luberon before returning.

Morning unfolds in the lively rhythm of a Provençal village — canal-side streets, giant water wheels, dealers arranging their wares. L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue is one of Europe’s true centers of the antique trade, with permanent showrooms and internationally known fairs. Browsing the brocante is part of the French way of life: part theatre, part treasure hunt, the quiet thrill of discovering something unexpected. In the afternoon, the atmosphere shifts but remains connected. Avignon carries a different scale — broader streets, heavier stone, monumental architecture — yet daily life moves easily beneath it. Cafés gather in the shadow of palace walls. Fountains murmur in small squares. Christopher and Laurent bring these places together through lively storytelling. Having loved, explored and engaged with them for many years, they connect flavors, architecture, history and local anecdotes, giving context to everything from markets to monuments — and to corners known only to residents.

You will be guided by Christopher or Laurent, licensed guides based in Marseille. They have been guiding travelers across Provence for more than eight years, building on more than twenty-five years of personal familiarity with the region’s landscapes, towns, and cultural rhythms. Their work draws on long observation of Provence’s varied terrain and everyday life, allowing them to share both well-known sites and the lesser-noticed stories that make the region distinctive. Christopher is originally from England and Laurent is French. Both spent many years in London before relocating to Marseille in 2013, traveling widely during that time and developing a deep curiosity about place and culture. In 2018 they launched their guiding venture together, bringing their passion for connection and cultural exchange to experiences across Provence. Their approach unfolds at an easy pace with space for conversation, close observation, and pleasure of shared time.

Comfortable walking shoes. Sunscreen and a hat. A camera or SmartPhone to record the occasion.